06/12/2026
Earlier in the week, rescue crews responded to a paddler in distress on the North Saskatchewan River upstream of Hwy 734. 🚨🛶
Rescue teams located the uninjured paddler who required transport assistance due to having become separated from canoe after an incident on the river.
The paddler’s lack of familiarity with this section of river and a very heavily laden canoe contributed to incident.
Some KEY TAKEAWAYS for anyone choosing paddling activities on the river, especially the braided reaches of 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗽 (upstream of Saunders Campground), include:
1️⃣ 𝐁𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝
Ensure you have the appropriate 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻, 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, including 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 abilities, for the river you are on.
2️⃣ 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞
𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, and sometimes day to day, due to changes in flow, level, and movement of natural debris (trees, logs, silt, gravel, etc.).
3️⃣ 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬
The upstream reaches of North Saskatchewan River commonly present with 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗷𝗮𝗺𝘀/𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹. 🌲 Tree hazards in various forms are common throughout all rivers in this area.
4️⃣ 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥
Some information sources may rate the upstream reaches of the North Saskatchewan River as “easy – moderate paddling”, due to the class 1-2 moving water. Paddling these reaches is technical river running due to the high frequency of wood hazards. ⚠ Complex maneuvers may be required with little warning. 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 for these reaches of the North Saskatchewan River.
